Kumasi, April 30, GNA--The Council of Zongo Elders in Kumasi has denied nominating anybody to succeed the late Sarkin Zongo, Alhaji Abubakar Ali III, as reported by a Kumasi "FM" radio station recently.

The denial was contained in a press release issued and signed by Mr Abdul Wahab, chairman of the council on Saturday, in reaction to the news report on the nomination of a successor to the late Sarkin Zongo.

The release said "it has come to the notice of the Council of Zongo Elders that a group of individuals who claims to represent the Zongo community, caused an announcement to be made on the local radio station to the effect that somebody had already been nominated as Sarkin Zongo".

The release said the purported nomination was false since the Council of Elders, which is the only recognised body to consider such nominations, was still holding consultations on the issue and had not yet arrived at a final decision yet.

The council said the final decision on the issue would be made public in due course. It, therefore, advised the media not to entertain any issue on the nomination of a successor to the late Sarkin Zongo from any group of people except from the Council of Elders. Alhaji Abubakari Ali died on April 18, this year, after a short illness.